Communication Manager - Communication and Advocacy (P-4), FT, Programme Group - Education (UNGEI), NYHQ

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 171,387 USD and 220,969 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

UNGEI is a global partnership for gender equality in and through education. Our mandate is to catalyze action locally, nationally, regionally, and globally for girls’ education and gender equality through education. We bring together diverse partners to support Ministries of Education and other national actors to develop and implement bold commitments to gender equality in education. We convene global, regional and local conversations and action for girls’ education and gender equality in education, including through the leadership of young feminist activists around the world. UNGEI partners include multilaterals, regional umbrella and intergovernmental organizations, national and global civil society organizations and young feminist leaders.

The UNGEI Secretariat is governed by UNICEF policies of employment. We strive to uphold feminist and anti-racist principles in how we work and offer flexible work arrangements.

Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) is an eight-country partnership and programme launched by the G7 in 2019 to support Ministries of Education and other national actors in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa to progress on gender equality in education. The programme is implemented jointly by UNGEI and UNESCO IIEP. For more information, please visit https://www.ungei.org/publication/gender-centre-initiative.

UNGEI is the only UN entity dedicated to girls’ education and gender equality in and through education. Through its 22-year history UNGEI has been a strong global, regional and local advocate for this mandate, leading with partners or influencing global commitments and dialogue (e.g. joint UN messaging on girls’ education through COVID-19, inclusion of gender equality in the 2022 Transforming Education Summit). The Communication and Advocacy Manager will therefore be key to UNGEI’s value proposition and impact.

How can you make a difference?

The incumbent will develop a compelling, fit-for-purpose and fit-for-size communications and advocacy plan for UNGEI, including the Gender at the Center Initiative (GCI) that respects, leverages and brings together UNGEI’s partners and allies. They will amplify UNGEI’s voice so that decision-makers and stakeholders at global, regional and local levels meaningfully address gendered needs in education.

This role provides a unique opportunity to hone your own voice, try out different communications platforms and strategies and build strong joint communication and advocacy campaigns with partners and allies, including young feminist activists.

The Communication and Advocacy Manager will be part of UNGEI’s leadership team. They will be supported by a Digital Communications Specialist, a Research and Advocacy Specialist and will have the opportunity to strategize and develop a Communications and Advocacy team with the UNGEI leadership team as UNGEI enters into its 2023-2027 Strategy and Portfolio.

The incumbent will maintain and refine UNGEI’s visual and editorial identity. Working closely with other members of the UNGEI Secretariat, the incumbent will develop high quality written content (for UNGEI and for GCI), including opinion pieces, news stories, blogs, talking points, presentations and key messages that will help raise awareness and energize diverse constituencies on issues surrounding girls’ education and gender equality.

The Communications and Advocacy Manager will report to the Director of the UNGEI Secretariat. The preferred location for this role is in New York, USA. Exceptional candidates who want to work from a different country will be considered so long as their working hours overlap at least 75% with working hours in New York.

Duties & Tasks

1. Lead the communications and advocacy portfolio.

Ensure that UNGEI has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan, strengthen support of UNGEI's mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.

• Working closely with Communications and Advocacy team and under the supervision of the Director of the UNGEI Secretariat to develop a Communications and Advocacy plan that supports UNGEIs strategic goals and is elevates the efforts of UNGEI and its key partners, including donors, to a wider audience.
• Oversee and finalize the production of compelling high-quality policy advocacy and communications material based on complex themes for print and digital platforms.
• Support the production of advocacy and communications content by other members of the UNGEI team and external contributors; quality assure all content distributed by UNGEI to maintain strong visual and editorial identity and reputation.
• Work with UNGEI, GCI and other programme contractors, partners and team members to produce original audio, video, written and visual content for the UNGEI campaigns and communications activities.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information and through knowledge sharing.
• Provide risk and strategic guidance to the UNGEI team on potential issues that may emerge, especially those that may pose a reputational risk, but also more general horizon scanning of broader external trends that may impact UNGEI’s work, and support in the development of mitigation strategies.
• Support the Director of the Secretariat and the UNGEI Steering Committee to develop a compelling value proposition for being an UNGEI member and a clear articulation of the experience of being an UNGEI member.
• Identify and cultivate key influencers within and external to the UNGEI partnership to strengthen UNGEI’s outreach and visibility.

2. Lead the planning and implementation of UNGEI events:

• Lead the planning and implementation of an annual UNGEI event gathering 100-150 participants from around the world, including logistics. Identify team requirements and budgets and contract event management companies and consultants as required.
• Work closely with and build strong relationships with relevant UNICEF country offices to support implementation.
• Develop and implement strong communications plan, ideally jointly with participating organizations so that there is a clear, unified voice for gender equality in and through education.

3. Support, manage and be accountable for the work of the Communication and Advocacy Team:

• Maintain UNGEI standards and systems for digital content creation, distribution and repurposing.
• Monitor current and emerging trends in digital marketing and communications and stay up to date on industry best practices.
• Oversee the monitoring and analysis of social media and web content metrics and use this for course correction to ensure effective communication strategies, planning and advocacy.
• Support team members to develop content for and manage the UNGEI website and Knowledge Hub, ensuring that these digital platforms are aligned with the overall communications and advocacy strategy.
• Define communications analytics and outreach benchmarks and KPIs to measure content effectiveness and optimize digital communications content, campaigns, community features and function. Ensure that communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated.
• Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results in support of fund-raising.

4. Management

Ensure that human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management, and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.

• Develop a work plan for communication activities, monitor compliance and provide support and guidance to ensure objectives are met.
• Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources. Approve and monitor the overall allocation and disbursement and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds.
• Identify, recruit, and supervise staff, technical resources and consultants as necessary. Conduct and implement effective performance planning, monitoring, performance development programme as required.

5. Media relations

Ensure that UNGEI has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web etc. – and a successful process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the media to communicate the story of UNGEI to a wider audience.

• Operationalize a comprehensive media strategy including in the preparation of news articles, press releases, media pitches, op-eds etc., and maintain good working relationships with key outlets and journalists.
• Develop, maintain and update media relations contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials etc.
• Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials and share results and findings.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development.
• A minimum of eight years of mid to senior-level professional work experience at the national and international levels in strategic communications, managing digital advocacy and communications, developing campaigns and strategic plans, and developing and managing partnerships in international development is required.

*A first University Degree combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, or public relations or corporate communications.

• Experience in the UN and in the education sector is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in overseeing global events with government and non-government actors is required.
• Editorial experience overseeing and managing the production of written and visual/audio content in a relevant field, including digital social media is desirable.
• Experience required as a content creator with a proven track record of developing creative ideas and campaigns, including a focus on profile-raising.
• Superior communications skills in professional writing and a demonstrated ability to develop, pitch, and secure feature coverage in top-tier media. Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong leadership skills: capacity to prioritize and manage a diverse range of partners, projects and activities.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment. Strong team player.
• Commitment to advancing gender equality, girls’ education, and human rights.
• Demonstrated commitment to UNGEI values, including feminist principles.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability (CRITA), and sustainability

Please click Here to view UNICEF's core values and Here to view our competency framework.

UNICEF competencies required for this post are.

1. Builds and maintains partnerships
2. Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
3. Drive to achieve results for impact
4. Innovates and embraces change
5. Manages ambiguity and complexity
6. Thinks and acts strategically
7. Works collaboratively with others.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to including everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page. If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Candidates who had already applied as part of the first Vacancy do not need to re-submit their application.